THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

CHAPTER 34

HUCK said: "Tom, we can slope, if we can find a rope. The window ain't
high from the ground."
"Shucks! what do you want to slope for?"
"Well, I ain't used to that kind of a crowd. I can't stand it. I ain't going
down there, Tom."
"Oh, bother! It ain't anything. I don't mind it a bit. I'll take care of you."
Sid appeared.
"Tom," said he, "auntie has been waiting for you all the afternoon. Mary
got your Sunday clothes ready, and everybody's been fretting about you. Say
-- ain't this grease and clay, on your clothes?"
"Now, Mr. Siddy, you jist 'tend to your own business. What's all this blow-
out about, anyway?"
"It's one of the widow's parties that she's always having. This time it's for
the Welshman and his sons, on account of that scrape they helped her out of
the other night. And say -- I can tell you something, if you want to know."
"Well, what?"
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"Why, old Mr. Jones is going to try to spring something on the people here
to-night, but I overheard him tell auntie to-day about it, as a secret, but I
reckon it's not much of a secret now. Everybody knows -- the widow, too,
for all she tries to let on she don't. Mr. Jones was bound Huck should be here
-- couldn't get along with his grand secret without Huck, you know!"
"Secret about what, Sid?"

discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely intolerable discomfort of being
set up as a target for everybody's gaze and everybody's laudations.
The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have
him educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start him
in business in a modest way. Tom's chance was come. He said:
"Huck don't need it. Huck's rich."
Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the company kept
back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant joke. But the
silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it:
"Huck's got money. Maybe you don't believe it, but he's got lots of it. Oh,
you needn't smile -319- -- I reckon I can show you. You just wait a minute."
Tom ran out of doors. The company looked at each other with a perplexed
interest -- and inquiringly at Huck, who was tongue-tied.
"Sid, what ails Tom?" said Aunt Polly. "He -- well, there ain't ever any
making of that boy out. I never -- "
Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and Aunt Polly did
not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin upon the table
and said:
"There -- what did I tell you? Half of it's Huck's and half of it's mine!"
The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody spoke for a
moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom said he
could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brimful of interest. There
was scarcely an interruption from any one to break the charm of its flow.
When he had finished, Mr. Jones said: